Nepenthes cuttings: [Grafts, Time, Rooting and Planting]
The nepenthes plant is a species of the carnivorous family that grows well and can be ideal for working as a vine.
Its popularity is based on the production of a kind of vases that give a very original decorative touch and whose color varies from green to red.
Its leaves are large and full of the characteristic liquid that allows food to be processed.Reproduction can be carried out by means of seeds or cuttings, the latter being the preferred form by many.
The main reason is that the daughter plant will retain the same characteristics of the mother, transferring beauty and good health, for example.Do you want to know the step by step to achieve a new plant from an existing one? Go for it.
With what other plants or trees can we graft the nepenthes cutting?
The nepenthes could accept grafts with varieties of this same species, that is, with subspecies.However, with other plants or trees it would not generate good results due to the complexity of the tissues it possesses.
What is the best time to plant nepenthes cuttings?
Nepenthes cuttings can be taken between late spring and early summer.The important thing here is to ensure a pleasant environment for its development according to the conditions that the species demands.
How to get nepenthes cuttings to root correctly?
Nepenthes cuttings must meet a series of specific conditions in their structure in order to prosper.
After having made sure that everything is correct, it is time to fill a pot with a suitable substrate for carnivorous plants .
Spaghnum moss is a good candidate because it helps the cutting establish itself and thrive smoothly.
If you don’t have it available, that’s no problem because a mix of peat and perlite will also be able to produce good results.Humidity is essential to achieve good results.
That is why a first abundant irrigation is oriented and maintain the substrate with a high level of humidity in the following days.If the weather is very hot, it is possible to use a plastic container to cover the pot and ensure that humidity is preserved.
Of course, it is necessary to open some holes for the plant to breathe and develop better.If there is any chance of fungal or micro-organism growth, it may be worth spraying the substrate with a fungicide .
How should we take the nepenthes cuttings to plant them?
Nepenthes cuttings will be taken from an existing and developed plant.The ideal is to use a sharp cutting tool so that the procedure is carried out in a single action and thus avoid causing damage to the mother plant.
It is also convenient that it is well disinfected so that the spread of diseases is avoided.The selection of the cuttings will start from the development characteristics that they have.
A good cutting to reproduce should have at least 3 leaves.Then, the cut will be applied below the last node found, in a diagonal direction , since it allows the cutting to have better contact with the substrate.
As in most cases, the cutting must be relieved of the work generated by maintaining the foliage, but taking care that the flow of sap is maintained.To achieve this goal, some recommend removing the leaves in parts, depending on their location.
This means, remove the bottom one almost entirely, the middle one leave it at approximately 30% and the final one at 50%.With these conditions, the cutting will be ready to be placed in the substrate and begin its work of root production.
How long should we leave nepenthes cuttings in water?
Nepenthes cuttings should not be immersed in water for any reason because it could cause rotting of their structure .
The high level of humidity must be maintained around the substrate, as it is what it needs to prosper well.
In addition, humidity contributes to the absence of air pockets that prevent the plant from being in contact with the substrate.
Is it convenient to use fertilizer or compost?
In this first phase, the nepenthes does not need the help of fertilizer or compost to develop.
How long does it usually take for a nepenthes cutting to come out?
In 2 or 3 months, the nepenthes cuttings should already have a well-developed root system.
After you have it, the next step will be to transplant it to the definitive planting place and give it the care that is convenient for it to continue its process.
As in sowing by cuttings the plant starts from a piece of an existing one, growth is much faster than if it is done by means of seeds.Therefore, in a few months it will already have reached a considerable height.